Antenna mounting means



July 12, 1960 J. B. CEJKA ANTENNA MCUNTING MEANS v Filed Nov. 20, 1953 FIG. 2.

FIG.

INVENTOR ggSEP/l 5 CEc/KA @412, NH); ATTORNEYS automobiles.

Joseph Ceil Highland Park, NJ., assignor to Gen eral Bronze Corporation, Garden City, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed a... 20', 1953, str. N... 393,332 I 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-43).

,This invention relates toradioantennas for use on Such antennas are usually in the form of a telescoping assembly of tubes that extends above the body of the automobile. This assembly is supported by the body of the automobile but it must be electrically insulated from the body to prevent grounding the radio signals. This invention is directed toward an improved apparatus for supporting such antennas.

It is usually desired to have the signal receiving as sembly extend directly upward, but the sheet metal of the automobile where the antenna is to be mounted usually will not be perpendicular to the plane in which it is desired to mount the antenna. Therefore, it is the usual practice to provide a mounting arrangement which will permit adjustment of the angle of the antenna relative to the supporting structure at its base. Such an arrangement permits the antenna to be adjusted to the desired angle and then locked in position.

One widely used arrangement includes a supporting sleeve that extends through an opening in the cowl or other part of the automobile body and carries internal insulation which supports the telescoping tube assembly. This sleeve is anchored on the inside of the body, for example by pivotally supported cross-arms or other means. On the outside of the body a generally hemispherical washer having a slot therein is placed over the antenna and is tightened against the body of the automobile by a nut that is threaded onto the outside of the sleeve. Because of the slot in the hemispherical washer, the antenna can be tilted, relatively to the plane of the automobile body at the point of support, and then tightened in position at the correct angle.

One difiiculty with such an arrangement is that the antenna may not remain permanently in the adjusted position, but may change position gradually asitis subjected to the continual vibration of the car. The present invention provides an improved locking arrangement which makes a positive engagement between the sleeve nut and the slotted washer and permanently secures the mounting angle of the antenna.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a slotted generally hemispherical washer is formed of material at least somewhat ductile and a clamping nut is provided with a tapered annular edge that is tightened against the washer and deforms it, locking the antenna against any possible shifting of position.

The foregoing and other objects of this invention will be in part apparent from and in part pointed out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is an exploded perspective view showing some of the components of an antenna embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view showing the components of Figure 1 in assembled relationship before the clamping nut is tightened; and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but perpendicu- 2,944,777v Patented July 12, 1960 lar thereto, after the clamping nut has been tightened.

The antenna includes a signal-receiving portion 2 in theform of a telescoping rod and tube assembly, the lower tube 401? which is supported by a metal sleeve 6 which extendsthrough the sheet metal body of the automobile and which is provided with flattened sides as indicated at 6A. The tube 4 is insulated from the sleeve6 by a tubular piece 8 of insulating material. The construction and arrangement of the interior of the sleeve 6 may be the same as that described in my copending applicationSerialNo.,393,333, now Patent No. 2,836,- 648, filed on even date herewith. Figure 2 shows the arrangement by which the sleeve 6 is clamped to the sheet metal 10 of the automobile body. The sleeve 6 is anchored, as by a pair of pivotally-mounted cross-arms 12, to prevent it from being pulled through the hole in the sheet metal 10. These arms may be constructed in the manner described in my copending application Serial No. 393,331, now Patent No. 2,859,274, filed on even date herewith.

On the outside of the sheet metal body 10, the sleeve 6 is surrounded by a slotted washer 14 which may be composed of plastic such as that sold under the tradename Tenite II. This washer is generally hemispherical in shape and has a slot 16 which fits over the flattened sides 6A of the sleeve 6 and permits the angle of the antenna signal-receiving portion 4 to be tilted with respect to the washer 14 so that the base of the washer may be firmly seated against the sheet metal 10. For example, the washer 14 may be positioned at any angle between the position illustrated in full and broken lines in Figure 2. In order to provide a water-proof and vibration-damping seal between the washer 14 and the .sheet metal 10, an annular ring 18 of soft rubber is of sufiicient length to entirely cover the oblong opening 16 .irrespective of the mounting angle of the antenna. The washers 22 and 14 and the sealing-ring 18 are clamped against the sheet-metal body 10 by means of a nut 24 which is in threaded engagement with the sleeve 6.

The nut 24 is made of material harder than the material from which the washer 14 is formed and is provided at its lower end with an annular tapered locking ring 26. As the nut 24 is tightened, the sharpened edge of the locking ring extension penetrates the surface of the hemispherical washer 14, as iudicated' at 28 in Figure 3. The penetration by the ring 28 into the hemispherical washer 1=4 securely locks the antenna in position so that it cannot loosen or vibrate to a different angular position. In addition, as the clamping ring portion 28 penetrates the hemispherical washer 14 the plastic material, of which the washer 14 is formed, is forced inwardly against the flattened surface of the sleeve 6, as shown at 30 in Figure 3, thus clamping the sleeve in even firmer position within the washer 14.

When the nut 2.4 is loosened, the antenna may be tilted and clamped in a new position. When the nut 24 is removed, a slight arcuate cut or groove, as illustrated at From the foregoing, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention described above is well adapted to attain the ends and objects herein set forth and that it can be easily manufactured by conventional techniques and that it is subject to a variety of modifications so as to best suit it for each particular use or fabrication procedure;

I claim: I

1. A vibration proof, angularly adjustable arrangement for mounting a mast antenna on a body panel of an automobile and the like, said arrangement comprising a generally hemispherical washer of relatively soft deformable plastic material and which has a generally flat bottom and an eccentric slot through it to permit an antenna mast to be adjusted angularly upright relative to a nonhorizontal mounting panel, an antenna mast extending up ward through said slot and having a lower portionengageable against the mounting panel and beneath the flat bottom of said washer, said mast having an upper threaded portion adjacent the top of said washer, and lock nut means surrounding said mast and engaged with said threaded portion, said lock nut means having a downwardly extending pointed portion closely adjacent said mast engaging the top of said plastic washer and digging into it a substantial distance thereby giving a self-locking action and a vibration-proof contact with said washer .to tightly hold said mast in a given angular orientation within said slot.

2. The structure as in claim 1 wherein said lock nut means includes a nut andsaid downwardly extending portion is integral with said'nut-and is surrounded by a thin hard annular shield whichfits against said plastic washer andcovers'said slot, said. n'ut ab'ov'e and outside of said downwardly extending portion having a flat annular shoulder which bears downward againstjsaid thin shield.

References Cited in the file this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS 2,454,897 Trowbridge Nov. 30, 1948 2,470,693 Finke et al. May 7, 1949 2,509,563 Grashow v May 30, 1950 2,693,372 Ludwig et 'al. Nov. 2, 1954 2,694,539 Finneburgh'et a1. Nov. 16, 1954 2,786,884 1957 Chadawski et a1. Mar. 26, 

